1. Field of the Invention
A connector is formed from two supporting elements optionally forming housings each carrying a set of contacts, each contact in the set of one element cooperating with a contact in the set of the other element.
2. Description of the Related Art
A first type of contact is produced in the form of pins and sockets, that is a male contact sliding in a female contact. This sliding involves long travel for installation, insertion forces which become relatively high if there is a large number of contacts, low, variable contact forces (relaxation during high temperature cycles, limited contacting surfaces, reliable connector locking systems and sensitivity to corrosion "fretting" due to micro-sliding between contacts).
Another type of contact is slidably mounted in a socket of its supporting element while being pulled outwardly by a resilient return means and is located opposite a contact of the other element which it can meet with its front face. Such contacts are described, for example, in the documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,242, U.S. Pat. No. 2,742,626, WO-A-94/11925, EP-A-0 256 541 and EP-A-0 009 314.
When two connector elements are fitted together, each of the contacts of one element pushes back the corresponding contact of the other element and itself returns into its accommodating socket against the action of its return spring. The two contacts are thus in contact with one another with a pressure which may be significant and which is insensitive to temperature variations. There is no relative displacement between the two contacts which would produce wear during assembly. The connecting travel may be very short, facilitating installation.
If desired, the front faces of the contacts are spherical in shape, the contacts of one of the elements being concave and those of the other being convex, as illustrated in the documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,242 or U.S. Pat. No. 2,742,626. Self-centring of the contacts therefore takes place and prevents micro-sliding of the contacting surfaces on one another.
The resilient return means of the contact preferably consists of a corrugated tab integral with the contact, as illustrated in the documents WO-A-94/11925, EP-A-0 256 541 or EP-A-0 009 314. In this way, the contact and its spring can be produced economically from the same starting member. In particular, contacts involving individually attached springs such as those described in the documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,242 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,742,626 necessitate expensive supporting elements because they inevitably consist of several assembled parts to allow the installation first of the contacts then of the springs and finally the locking thereof by an attached part. This assembly is also very inconvenient.
In the complete connector, the corrugated tab can be either with the male contact or with the female contact or with both together. Resilient connection is ensured if at least one of the two contacts has this corrugated tab. The resilient contact can be applied directly to a mating surface formed on a conducting part.
However, integral contacts with their spring tabs as described in the documents WO-A-94/11925, EP-A-0 256 541 or EP-A-0 009 314 pose other problems. The first is the problem of necessarily fixing them on the back of the spring tab to respect the range of elasticity but which may not be an advantageous point of the socket. A further problem is that of their effective sliding within the socket, in particular if this contact risks rubbing and attaching itself to the internal walls of the socket which are still slightly rough if the supporting element is produced from plastics material.
The present invention relates to a connector which overcomes these drawbacks.